Update on prof McAdams

[ChicosBailBonds]

Pony up, Marquette

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-steven-salaita-settlement-met-20151112-story.html

The University of Illinois' decision last year to revoke a job offer to controversial professor Steven Salaita will cost more than $2 million, including an $875,000 settlement that trustees approved Thursday.

Salaita, who lost a tenured faculty position after posting a string of anti-Israel comments on social media, will get $600,000 in the deal in exchange for dropping two lawsuits against the university and agreeing he will never work at U. of I.

Salaita's attorneys will get $275,000.

The settlement — to be paid out within 30 days — is on top of the $1.3 million in legal fees the university has spent during the past 14 months on Salaita-related issues, including a federal suit brought by Salaita that alleged breach of contract and violation of his free speech rights.

I would love to see it.

In fact, I'm thinking about going to campus next week and holding up some signs about giving everyone some space, making sure everyone is treated equally.  MU deserves to get crap hammered on this one.

[Warriorfish]

From what I've heard, McAdams is much more interested in going through with lawsuits than taking any settlement offers if he's fired.

MU could win a lower court ruling and even an appeals court ruling, but they would be in a world of hurt if this case is taken up (more like when) by the WI Supreme Court.

[rocket surgeon]

of course MU is going to argue workplace insubordination, etc.  that's all they have.  prof. mccadams has nothing to lose arguing what really happened-freedom of speech-regardless of what the circumstances were.  MU would be better off settling this somehow to the prof's liking as the "free pub" MU is going to get may not be exactly the kind they should want.  unless MU wants to become the berkeley of the midwest, they might want to close the doors and smok'em peace pipe with prof. mccadams

[keefe]

I hope McAdams sues and wins.

[Blue Horseshoe]

I hope McAdams sues and wins.

Agreed. Although I feel that those that believe MU somehow did something noble will never understand.

[brandx]

Agreed. Although I feel that those that believe MU somehow did something noble will never understand.

I find your opinion interesting.

Do you feel it is OK for a professor to publicly try to humiliate a student? On a public blog for anyone in the country to read? to open this student up to all kind of vile threats?

I don't care - and I don't think MU cared whether he was conservative. Certainly he had been writing his blog from a far right perspective for a long time and MU never tried to fire him.

Just wondering why you feel MU should pay. And, I don't mean for this post to criticize your opinion.

[rocket surgeon]

I would love to see it.

In fact, I'm thinking about going to campus next week and holding up some signs about giving everyone some space, making sure everyone is treated equally.  MU deserves to get crap hammered on this one.

absolutely-unless they get a little spanking here, who's next?  the libbys are all screaming workplace violence, as opposed to freedom of speech. well wait until one of theirs get's the ole marquette hammer. careful what they wish for.  if they want to split hairs, mccadams will be going for the short ones

[warriorchick]

I find your opinion interesting.

Do you feel it is OK for a professor to publicly try to humiliate a student? On a public blog for anyone in the country to read? to open this student up to all kind of vile threats?

I don't care - and I don't think MU cared whether he was conservative. Certainly he had been writing his blog from a far right perspective for a long time and MU never tried to fire him.

Just wondering why you feel MU should pay. And, I don't mean for this post to criticize your opinion.

Well said, Brandy.  Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

[Pakuni]

I hope McAdams sues and wins.

I hope he sues, loses and is ordered to pay Marquette's legal fees.
He's a bully.

[brandx]

Well said, Brandy.  Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

You just haven't learned to separate my posts yet. Whether it is an honest  discussion or whether I'm responding viscerally to what I feel is someone deliberately misrepresenting the truth.

I have no problem with anyone supporting McAdams as long as they do so honestly. Certainly, their opinion is as valid as mine.

[Eldon]

We will see, but McAdams wasn't a free speech or freedom of expression case, but a workplace conduct case.  Different set of standards.

Idk about that.

It sounds like a run-of-the-mill breach of contract case (same as Salaita's UIUC case).

[warriorchick]

Idk about that.

It sounds like a run-of-the-mill breach of contract case (same as Salaita's UIUC case).

What contract was breached in the McAdams case?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well said, Brandy.  Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

If only what Brandx said were true...if only....but alas, that's not the case.

[GGGG]

If only what Brandx said were true...if only....but alas, that's not the case.

God this post is rich with irony.  Delicious, delicious irony.

[GGGG]

I find your opinion interesting.

Do you feel it is OK for a professor to publicly try to humiliate a student? On a public blog for anyone in the country to read? to open this student up to all kind of vile threats?

I don't care - and I don't think MU cared whether he was conservative. Certainly he had been writing his blog from a far right perspective for a long time and MU never tried to fire him.

Just wondering why you feel MU should pay. And, I don't mean for this post to criticize your opinion.

Marquette found McAdams annoying but every campus has professors like that.  Not every professor commits repeated workplace violations however.  That's the difference.  That doesn't make it "noble."  That's called running a professional organization.

If you can find one instance where a liberal professor did the similar things to McAdams and wasn't fired, then people can whine about bias...and I will be right there to support them.

[Galway Eagle]

When I started this thread it said update on professor mccrabby pants. The PC editing in this world has gotten out of control!

[ChicosBailBonds]

God this post is rich with irony.  Delicious, delicious irony.

When MU loses this one, I know it's going to sting you...it's ok, you still have friends here to console you.

[jsglow]

What I find somewhat interesting about this thread is that the usual suspects are lining up on their respective sides of the aisle depending on their view of John's political leanings.  For me, it really is a workplace conduct issue.  I happen to think that the former instructor was a closed minded, flaming left b*tch, that the student used unfair and destructive means to 'out' her, but that John needed to use proper channels.  I also find it somewhat interesting that some here think they know the political leanings of MU's Senior Leadership at the time.  And all that said, I find myself on the same side of the fence as brandx despite knowing that he and I have probably never voted for the same person in an election.  Crazy world.

[ChicosBailBonds]

What I find somewhat interesting about this thread is that the usual suspects are lining up on their respective sides of the aisle depending on their view of John's political leanings.  For me, it really is a workplace conduct issue.  I happen to think that the former instructor was a closed minded, flaming left b*tch, that the student used unfair and destructive means to 'out' her, but that John needed to use proper channels.  I also find it somewhat interesting that some here think they know the political leanings of MU's Senior Leadership at the time.  And all that said, I find myself on the same side of the fence as brandx despite knowing that he and I have probably never voted for the same person in an election.  Crazy world.

The problem I have with Brand's  comments and others....for him to say that MU didn't care that he was conservative is just a bald face pile of fecal matter.  They had been on him in the past for his views, long before this "incident".  Asked him to tone it down, etc.  I'm sure they asked liberal professors to tone down their beliefs with their postings.     For him to claim they didn't care is nonsense.

As for the student angle and the fact he put it on a blog for all the world to see.....come on.  Hyperbole big time on the blog front.  Yes, technically all the world can read MUScoop, too.....technically something written on a piece of paper in a notebook could be scanned and uploaded for all the world to see....technically someone could record someone saying something and put it on Facebook, etc, etc.   

She was a teacher and a student, for some reason the whole "teacher" part is left off constantly. 

We'll see how it plays out, but this smells like politics from day one.

[GGGG]

The problem I have with Brand's  comments and others....for him to say that MU didn't care that he was conservative is just a bald face pile of fecal matter.  They had been on him in the past for his views, long before this "incident".  Asked him to tone it down, etc.  I'm sure they asked liberal professors to tone down their beliefs with their postings.    

Not a professor, but they fired Susannah Bartlow in about two days after the Shakur mural controversy.  And deservedly so. 

The idea that they came down on McAdams because he is conservative, despite the fact that there are PLENTY of conservative professors on campus that have no problems functioning in the workplace, is foolhardy.  And it reeks of the conservative victimization mentality that I find so amusing.  (And of course, what Chicos' loves to revel in.)

[Pakuni]

The problem I have with Brand's  comments and others....for him to say that MU didn't care that he was conservative is just a bald face pile of fecal matter.  They had been on him in the past for his views, long before this "incident".  Asked him to tone it down, etc.  I'm sure they asked liberal professors to tone down their beliefs with their postings.     For him to claim they didn't care is nonsense.

Could you point out some of these instances in which they had been "on him" for his views? Not the manner in which he expressed his views, but the views themselves. And, since it was his views, and not the manner in which he expressed them, where are the instances of the administration being "on" other faculty with conservative views ?

She was a teacher and a student, for some reason the whole "teacher" part is left off constantly. 

At Marquette, just like every other school, grad students who teach classes are considered students. This weird defense that she was some sort of hybrid is nothing more than a weak attempt to avoid dealing with the reality of the situation. She was a student. End of story.

[brandx]

What I find somewhat interesting about this thread is that the usual suspects are lining up on their respective sides of the aisle depending on their view of John's political leanings.  For me, it really is a workplace conduct issue.  I happen to think that the former instructor was a closed minded, flaming left b*tch, that the student used unfair and destructive means to 'out' her, but that John needed to use proper channels.  I also find it somewhat interesting that some here think they know the political leanings of MU's Senior Leadership at the time.  And all that said, I find myself on the same side of the fence as brandx despite knowing that he and I have probably never voted for the same person in an election.  Crazy world.

You're right, Glow. There definitely are cases where people are victimized because of political leanings here in this country. I just don't think this is one of them.

I believe there should be professors of all stripes on campus. Despite our different political beliefs, I'm guessing you feel the same way.

[GGGG]

You're right, Glow. There definitely are cases where people are victimized because of political leanings here in this country. I just don't think this is one of them.

I believe there should be professors of all stripes on campus. Despite our different political beliefs, I'm guessing you feel the same way.

My favorite professor at Marquette put pictures of aborted fetuses on his office door. 

[Eldon]

What contract was breached in the McAdams case?

He was a tenured professor

[GGGG]

He was a tenured professor

Tenured professors can be fired. 

http://www.nea.org/home/33067.htm

"Tenure is simply a right to due process; it means that a college or university cannot fire a tenured professor without presenting evidence that the professor is incompetent or behaves unprofessionally or that an academic department needs to be closed or the school is in serious financial difficulty. Nationally, about 2 percent of tenured faculty are dismissed in a typical year."